"What kind of monster poisons farmland?"
That was the thought stuck in my head as I marched across the fields.
"Doyle!"
"Sir Theo?"
"You're returning with the first group. Once you're inside the city, scatter and patrol the streets until you reach the mansion. Remember, you might run into a mage. If that happens, don't act alone. Use your whistle immediately, just like we agreed."
"Aye."
We moved fast over the open land. As the city walls came into view, I broke off from the others and picked up the pace.
If the young master hadn't been there today, we never would've noticed the land was tainted.
He didn't explain how he knew, just said the soil was wrong.
Lord Godfrey didn't argue. He ordered us to pull back immediately.
I figured it was intuition. Some nobles have a sharp eye.
Still... something about the way he said it. Calm. Certain.
Maybe there's more to that boy than he lets on.
And now that we know?
Doesn't change much.
Maybe Lord Godfrey's father will return and cleanse it himself.
But if not… it might take decades before Marquis Vance sends a mage. Assuming he even cares.
Besides, who sends a mage all the way out here just to poison farmland?
It stinks of something deeper.
I picked up the pace, boots pounding against the cobblestones. The closer I got to the city, the more restless I felt.
Then…
Thud.
Someone slammed into me from the side and dropped to the ground. Two others scurried past behind him.
I grabbed the person by the arms and pulled him upright.
"Hey! Why are you running?"
He groaned, clutching his temple. I couldn't make out his face in the dark at first, but then he looked up.
"Old man Jones?"
"Ah, Doyle! Thank the gods…" He glanced nervously over his shoulder. "The Muddy Pig tavern. It's Raymond!"
"Raymond? Raymond, who?"
"Raymond the accountant! The one working for Lord Godfrey, you know, at the mansion!"
"Gambler Raymond?"
"Y-yeah, him!"
I narrowed my eyes. "What happened to Raymond?"
"Hyness was playing cards at The Muddy Pig today. Then some brat jumped in and won the game. Raymond showed up and said the kid was his nephew. Tried to calm things down, gave back the winnings even. But the brat mouthed off, said something that bruised Hyness's pride. Now he wants to kill them both!"
"Raymond has a nephew?"
"I thought he was the only one left in his family too, but… apparently not. Please! You have to stop them!"
I didn't wait for another word.
If Hyness laid a finger on someone working for Lord Godfrey, he'd crossed a line no man comes back from.
Until now, the Lord tolerated him because of his ties to Vanceburg. Just a loan shark with good connections.
But murder?
Out in the open?
Only a fool goes that far.
I sprinted through the streets, turning corner after corner. People were already scattering some running, others peeking around corners like nervous rats.
This was bad.
Real bad.
I finally reached The Muddy Pig. Two men clearly Hyness's thugs stood blocking the door.
"We're closed today," one of them said, shoving me back with a flat palm to the chest.
I grabbed his wrist.
"Touch me again, and you'll be feeding yourself with your left hand for the rest of your life."
He sneered. "I don't care if you're a guard or a soldier. I said we're closed."
"Then you're either incredibly stupid… or too brave for your own good."
Without warning, I slammed my forehead into his nose. Crunch.
The other guy threw a punch. I ducked under it and drove my fist straight into his gut.
He gasped.
I grabbed his head and rammed my knee into his face. Crack.
Both men dropped.
I stepped over them and kicked the door open.
Silence.
Not a soul in sight.
Even the bartender was gone.
I'd never been here before, no reason to. Everyone knew it was a gambling den. But it clearly ran deeper than that.
"RAYMOND!"
A child's voice. Familiar.
I charged toward the back, following the sound.
One solid kick and the door flew off its hinges.
Two men rushed me the moment the door burst open, swords already drawn.
But I caught a glimpse past them.
There near the back of the room stood young Lord Henry, crouched beside Raymond, who lay in a pool of blood. Young Lord Henry? What's he doing here?
Another man stood in front of them, blade in hand, wearing a faint smile.
He stared straight at me.
"Don't move," I growled.
Then I let go.
Resolve surged through me like floodwaters breaking a dam.
I punched the man on the right square in the face. His skull folded with a sickening crunch. He flew backward smashed through a table, then another before crashing down in a crumpled heap.
The second lunged with a clumsy overhead slash.
I ducked and drove my fist into his ribs. As he doubled over, I grabbed his head and twisted then hurled him across the room like a sack of meat. He hit the wall and didn't move.
Sword in hand, I turned to the last one.
There he was.
Sword in hand, facing me.
Between us, just a few feet of blood stained floor and a boy who didn't even know how close death had come.
He could've killed him.
Should've.
But he froze.
Why?
What the hell was he waiting for?
Not scared.
Not panicking.
Watching.
Studying.
Like someone with actual experience.
He held his blade low. Defensive stance. Professional..
So that was his play.
He wanted to take the boy as a hostage.
Smart. Dangerous. But not enough.
"I suppose you knew those two," the man said quietly.
His tone wasn't arrogant.
Calm. Almost... tired.
Oddly, there was no fear in it.
"What's your name?" I asked, sword still raised.
"Frank," he answered.
Frank?
Never heard of a swordsman by that name, not in Lord Godfrey's territory or anywhere nearby.
He lowered his blade slightly. Not in surrender.
More like... hesitation.
It looked like he wanted to say something. Maybe even walk away.
But I couldn't take that chance.
Not with the young lord's life on the line.
I lunged forward without warning.
"Stop! Stop..!" he shouted, backpedaling fast.
He wasn't attacking.
He kept trying to talk me down, dodging by inches each time.
"Hurry up, Frank! Kill him already, before someone else shows up!" Hyness roared from behind.
Frank clicked his tongue, annoyed. And finally moved.
His strike was fast. Clean.
But I wasn't here to play.
I poured every drop of my resolve into my next blow.
He tried to block it.
Too slow.
His sword cracked then shattered.
My blade kept going, carving straight through him from shoulder to hip.
He collapsed beside Raymond, blood rushing from his mouth.
"Urgh..." he groaned. "I guess... it's time to see my family again…"
His voice... didn't match his crimes.
Too human.
Too soft.
Almost like... he hadn't really wanted any of this.
But it was too late for regrets.
The gap between those who've awakened their resolve and those who haven't…
It's a canyon.
And he was on the wrong side of it.
I turned sharply.
Hyness was already on his feet sprinting for the far end of the hall.
Coward.
Of course he ran.
No point in chasing him the normal way.
I focused and released the last of my resolve into my legs.
In a flash, I was behind him.
"This is the end, Hyness."
One clean stroke, down the spine, from neck to tailbone.
He didn't even have time to scream.
He dropped like a sack of meat.
And just like that, the Muddy Pig had a new stain on its floor.
"Doyle!"
The young lord's voice cut through the quiet like a blade.
I turned.
He was crouched beside Raymond, blood soaking the floor around them.
There were still two men seated at the gaming table, frozen and pale.
I kept my sword raised and approached slowly.
One of them stood up fast, hands raised.
"We're not with Hyness! We were just playing cards! I… I was too scared to run…"
He pointed to the man beside him.
"This is Charles. He runs a soap workshop in the city. I'm Remy. A merchant."
Remy?
The Remy?
I noticed the fine clothes earlier, but didn't make the connection.
That's Fugger… The Fugger.
I gave a curt nod and rushed to Raymond's side.
"Young Lord Henry… what the hell happened here?"
He didn't answer right away.
Just pressed down on Raymond's bleeding arm with steady hands.
"I'll explain everything," he said. Calm. Steady. Composed.
He was three years old.
And yet... there wasn't a tremble in his voice.
This morning, when he uncovered the poisoned land, he was just as calm.
Maybe that's what noble blood does to a person.
Or maybe... the old stories are true.
"Congrats," Mnex muttered. "Your cosmic luck showed up again. You almost kicked the bucket, but Doyle swooped in and saved your sorry hide."
He sounded… irritated?
That was rare.
"Where were you?" I hissed inside my head. "Backing yourself up in case I died?"
"Cut the nonsense and ask yourself why you were even able to stay that calm on death's doorstep," he snapped. "If it weren't for me, your body would've shut down from hormone overload. Do you have any idea how hard it was to suppress your panic reflexes? No, of course not. You're welcome."
Oh.
I thought maybe… some heroic instinct had finally awakened.
"There is something inside you," he said coldly. "It's the dictionary definition of stupidity, recklessness, and failure in every known language."
"Come on, don't exaggerate."
"Exaggerate? You provoked Hyness! I told you to walk away!"
"Maybe the part of me that can't stand injustice woke up instead."
"Why can't the part that understands logic wake up for once?"
I glanced down.
Raymond was bleeding out.
That's on me.
He jumped in to protect me, and now he's…
"We have to save him."
"Relax," Mnex said, voice softening just a little. "He's hurt, but not fatally. He passed out from the shock. Apply direct pressure to the arm it's the source of the bleeding. You can stop it."
While I kept pressure on Raymond's arm, Doyle moved over to speak with Remy and Charles. Remy slipped out for a moment and returned with a healer.
As Raymond was being treated, I explained everything to Doyle.
Everything that mattered, anyway.
When I finished, Remy and Charles stepped forward.
"Ahem… Young lord," Remy began carefully. "I suspected you were special, but I didn't realize you were young Godfrey. Please forgive any earlier disrespect. I truly didn't know."
Charles gave a silent nod.
Remy bowed low, with practiced grace.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm Remy though most know me by our founder's name, Fugger. That's what we use in business, but I prefer Remy. Please, call me that."
Even Mnex didn't say anything.
Charles stepped forward, more hesitant.
"I'm Charles. I make soap here in Godfrey's Cross. I'm not famous like Sir Fugger… but what you did for me tonight no one's ever done something like that for me. Not even family."
"Indeed," Remy added. "Your actions tonight say more than a title ever could. If you ever need anything, my shop is in the square. You're welcome any time."
He glanced at Doyle, then offered a final nod.
"I believe that's enough excitement for several lifetimes. I'll take my leave."
He turned to go. Charles followed silently.
But…
"Mr. Charles, could we talk for a moment?"
He froze, surprised. But didn't panic.
Doyle looked… uncomfortable.
Very.
"If I heard right," I said calmly, "you owed a debt of 43 solmar."
Charles glanced briefly at Hyness's corpse, then gave a small, dry smile.
"Yes… but it looks like there's no one left to collect it."
"Oh, really?"
I tilted my head, still crouched beside Raymond.
"Because I'm the one who pulled you out of this mess. Which means… technically, that debt now belongs to me."
They both blinked.
No outburst. No protest.
Just stunned silence.
And in that silence, I saw it.
The same thought running through both their minds.
He's three years old.
Look at this shameless little bastard.